Apparatus for burning away oil produced by an oil well

ABSTRACT

A DEVICE FOR BURNING AWAY WASTE CRUDE OIL PRODUCED WHEN INVESTIGATING OR TESTING OIL WELLS COMPRISES A BURNER CONNECTED TO THE OIL WELL HEAD AND HAVING A SPRAYING ASSEMBLY FOR ATOMIZING THE OIL TO BE BURNT AND MIXING IT WITH AIR FOR IMPROVING THE COMBUSTION. THE OIL PENETRATES TANGENTIALLY WITHIN A CHAMBER THROUGH LARGE CHANNELS PERMITTING THE PASSAGE OF RELATIVELY LARGE SOLID PARTICLES, AN OBTURATOR OR VALVE MEMBER BEING SLIDABLY LOCATED WITHIN SAID CHAMBER. THIS OBTURATOR COOPERATES WITH A SEAT OPENING INTO A NOZZLE COMBINED WITH AIR INFLOW TANGENTIAL CHANNELS. SAID BURNER IS LOCATED COAXIALLY WITH RESPECT TO A FURNACE. THE EXIT OF SAID FURNACE IS SURROUNDED WITH AN ANNULAR TUBE PROVIDED WITH WATER-SPRAYING NOZZLES DIRECTED RADIALLY OR AT AN ANGLE OUTWARDLY TO PROVIDE A WATER SHIELD AS A PROTECTION AGAINST THE HEAT PRODUCED BY THE COMBUSTION OF THE OIL.

Feb. 23, 1971 J. A. P. DRIVET 3,565,562

APPARATUS FOR BURNING AWAY OIL PRODUCED BY AN OIL WELL Filed Feb. 27,1969 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 JEA/V 40 0M? Pfaspzae Feb. 23, 1971 Y J, -r A3,565,562

APPARATUS FOR BURNING AWAY OIL PRODUCED BY AN OIL WELL Filed Feb; 27,1969 l 3 Sheets-Sheet l 5e. 4 5s. 5 He. 6

Jaw Hl/Gl/Sff 8905, 5? 04w Feb. 23, 197 1 J- A. P. DRIVET 3,565,562

APPARATUS FOR BURNING AWAY OIL PRODUCED BY AN OIL WELL Filed Feb. 27,1969 3 Sheets-Sheet 8 c/EH/V Hueus 7E Peoswaefinmr Firm s.

United States Patent 0 3,565,562 APPARATUS FOR BURNING AWAY OIL PRODUCEDBY AN OIL WELL Jean Auguste Prosper Drivet, St.-Germain-en-Laye,Yvelines, France, assignor to Societe Auxiliaire des Producteurs dePetrole Flopetrol (Societe Anonyme), Paris, France Filed Feb. 27, 1969,Ser. No. 802,989 Claims priority, application France, Nov. 6, 1968,

Int. Cl. F2sm 9/00 US. Cl. 431-184 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Adevice for burning away Waste crude oil produced when investigating ortesting oil wells comprises a burner connected to the oil well head andhaving a spraying assembly for atomizing the oil to be burnt and mixingit with air for improving the combustion. The oil penetratestangentially within a chamber through large channels permitting thepassage of relatively large solid particles, an obturator or valvemember being slidably located within said chamber. This obturatorcooperates with a seat opening into a nozzle combined with air inflowtangential channels. Said burner is located coaxially with respect to afurnace. The exit of said furnace is surrounded with an annular tubeprovided with water-spraying nozzles directed radially or at an angleoutwardly to provide a water shield as a protection against the heatproduced by the combustion of the oil.

The present invention relates generally to the art of exploiting oil orpetroleum wells and has more particular reference to the disposal of oilas produced by burning.

Estimating the productive capacity of an oil well calls for tests duringwhich the parameters that are necessary for the technical study of thewell are recorded. While the elimination of the oil produced duringthese tests does not pose any problem in the case of continental wells,the same does not apply to wells that'were drilled from drilling bargesor production platforms and that are not yet connected to a gatheringsystem.

Actually it is impossible to set up on drilling barges or productionplatforms a plant for storing the collected oil chiefly for safetyreasons as the oil is generally only partly degasified. Moreover, theavailable space and the permissible overloads are generally verylimited. The

evacuation of the oil by a small tanker is only conceivable when theweather is favorable and even in that event this may result in importantstop down expenditure owing to the uncertainty that prevails as regardstest programs. Lastly the produced effluent may be polluted and devoidof any trade value while presenting problems for the evacuation of theoil on land.

The main object of the invention is to provide a solution to thistechnical problem and a device permitting the oil to be burnt away.

Considering that the oil as produced under such conditions is oftenpolluted and contains solid particles, a further object of the inventionis to provide a burning device capable of accommodating the encounteredconditions by burning the oil away without causing clogging by solidparticles, the burning taking place in proportion as the oil productionproceeds.

According to the invention, a burning device is provided for burningaway the oil produced by an oil well and comprising a burner forming aspraying assembly adapted to receive the oil from the well and toconvert it into a jet of sprayed oil, said burner preferably comprisingair intake members for mixing the air mixture with oil so as to improvespraying and burning, a combustion furnace, the burner being arrangedalong the axis of said furnace so as to direct the jet of sprayed oilalong its axial direction, and igniting means for flaming up the sprayedoil so as to burn it away.

According to a feature of the invention, said device may furthermorecomprise a protective system against heat radiation due to combustion,combined with the furnace and advantageously constituted by a tubefitted with nozzles and connected with a source of water under pressure,said nozzles being orientated either radially or outwardly at a suitableangle with respect to the furnace axis so as to spray the water into ascreen performing the required protection rearwardly of the furnace.

In a suitable and apparently advantageous aspect of the invention, theburner comprises a body portion defining a chamber in which terminatetangential channels connected with the oil inlet, thereby imparting toit a rotary motion, an axial outlet port communicating with said chamberthrough which the revolving oil stream escapes, and an atomizing nozzlein which the oil forms a thin layer. A closing member or obturatorfitted in the aforesaid chamber cooperates with the tangential channelsand the axial port for adjusting the rate of flow of the oil. Thisclosing member may be conveniently connected with an actuator (forexample of the pneumatic type) preferably actuated by a controlleradapted to maintain a constant pressure or a constant oil flow. Theclosing member or obturator could also be manually controlled.

Preferably the burner also has tangential channels for the intake ofcompressed air terminating in the nozzle, said air being intimatelymixed with the thin oil layer so as to facilitate the spraying action.

The combustion furnace advantageously defines with the burner an annularspace providing a secondary air intake towards the burning flame, saidspace being combined if required with a set of flaps or shutterspermitting a regulation of the air intake.

The following description which reads on the accompanying illustrativedrawings will facilitate proper understanding of the invention.

FIG. 1 is an edge view of the active device according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear end view thereof, assuming the burner to be omitted.

FIG. 3 is an axial sectional view of the burner.

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are detail views drawn to a larger scale along linesIVIV, VV and VIVI in FIG. 3.

FIGS. 7 and 8 are detail views drawn at a still larger scale showing theset of flaps or shutters for adjusting the intake of secondary air.

The device for burning away oil from an oil well according to theinvention generally comprises a burner 1 fitted coaxially to acombustion furnace 2, and a protecting device or shield 3, said furnaceand shield being supported by a frame designated in its entirety by 4.

The burner is represented more in detail in FIG. 3; it comprises a bodyportion 5 defining a chamber 6 in which a union 7 terminates the purposeof which is to receive owing to a screwed up engagement a pipe 37 forthe inflow of pressurized oil, said pressure ranging from a few bars tovery high pressures.

Inside the chamber 6 is provided a member 8 angularly blocked inposition by a pin 9 and through which tangential channels 10 areprovided. Four of these channels are provided here as shown in FIG. 4 soas to impart a rotary motion to the oil current admitted into a centralchamber 38.

The chamber 38 is limited forwardly by a partition 11 through which aport 12 is provided for constituting a seat with which a needle-shapedobturator 13 cooperates for the purpose of adjusting the sectional areaof the tangential channels and the port 12. This obturator is connectedvia a rod 14 with a pneumatic actuator 15 (see FIG. 1) which may becombined wtih a controller located in the safety zone for permitting forexample a constant oil pressure to be maintained upstream of the burneror a constant oil flow. The rod 14 is guided through a flange designatedgenerally by 16 in FIG. 1. In the showing of FIG. 3 is illustrated aportion 16' of said flange which contains bushes 17 through which therod 14 is slidably guided. A coil spring 18 acting by compression tendsto compress a gasket 39 to ensure fluid tightness in known fashion.Fluid tightness between the several parts of the body portion may beperformed by O-rings 40 of rubber.

The arrangement as described permits an adjustment of the needle valve13 and consequently of the sectional area of the tangential channels 10and port 12 to be obtained in terms of the pressure and quality of theadmitted oil. Thus if the oil contains solid particles (the diameter ofwhich may reach 10 millimeters) the sectional area of the channels andport is temporarily increased thereby staving off any clogging whereasit is, contrary to what has just been said, decreased where the oil isno longer polluted.

Downstream of the port 12 is provided a nozzle 19, in which the oilescaping through the axial port 12 forms a thin atomized layer, Therequired minimum oil pressure for achieving a suitable degree ofatomization is equal to a few bars. However the apparatus may alsooperate under a very high pressure so as to produce a very fine degreeof atomization. The permissible maximum pressure may reach about 200bars. Such pressure may be furnished from the oil well itself or by aseparator or else by a pump.

It will be easily understood that the needle valve 13 might be alsocontrolled by another device different from the one as described oralternatively manually.

The body portion 3 of the burner is provided at a position correspondingto the nozzle 19 with an air inlet union '20 to which may be screwed upa compressed air inlet pipe 21 (FIG. 1). Such a union terminates in anannular chamber 22 formed around the nozzle 19 and a pair of tangentialchannels 23, 24 are provided through the wall of the nozzle at twospaced points as visible on FIGS. 3, 5 and 6. The compressed air whichis advantageously admitted under a pressure equal for example to 7 barsis revolved by the sets of tangential channels 23, 24 and thus drivesthe thin oil layer while producing a spray or mist which can be easilyburnt away. The coni- V cal shape of the nozzle permits the energyderived from the compressed air the mass rate of which may represent forexample 5% of the mass of sprayed oil to be utilized in optimum fashion.

It will be noticed from FIG. 3 that the outlet port 25 of the nozzle 19preferably has a sectional area slightly larger than that of the port12.

Mounting of the burner assembly upon a platform can be done by means ofa lattice beam having for example a length of twenty meters supported bycables or guys. This beam extends horizontally and carries the burner atone of its ends.

The possibility is also afforded to mount the aforesaid assembly uponthe jib of a crane having adequate capacity and range. Furthermore themounting of said assembly may be performed upon a pontoon floating uponthe sea. However this technical solution is only applicable whenproviding a reliable system for anchoring the pontoon.

As more specially visible in FIG. 1, the combustion furnace 2 preferablyof conical shape and which can be made of carbon steel sheets ofconventional shape coaxially surrounds the burner 1 while definingaround it an annular space 27 for secondary air intake by beingforwardly extended with respect to said burner over a sufficiently largedistance. The furnace 2 is fitted with 4 an igniting contrivancediagrammatically shown at 28 which may be of any suitable type (forexample of electric type) and which maintains a pilot flame for theignition of the sprayed or mistlike mass of oil or for its re-ignitionif it is extinguished.

In use, the furnace 2 is orientated in the direction in which theprevailing wind blows so that the flame direction is the same as thewind direction. Inside the furnace and after ignition by the ignitingcontrivance 28 a sufiicient temperature prevails so as to ensure an evencombustion and to keep the flame front sufficiently stable in the space.In dotted lines as indicated by 29 in FIG. 1 the conical jet of sprayedoil corresponding to the flame that burns inside the furnace.

In the space 27 between the burner 1 and the furnace 2 extends adiaphragm (see FIGS. 7 and 8) made up of flaps or shutters 30 carried byaxes 31 which can be rocked in ports provided in a carrier member 32arranged around the burner and the furnace 2 itself. Such axes 31 arefast with pulleys 33 over which is trained a control cable (not shown)actuated from a suitable device. Thus control of the flaps 130 permitsthe sectional area of the secondary air intake to be varied and moreparticularly to be so reduced as to proect the flame against gusty windsthe effect of which would be harmful to combustion stability whilenevertheless permitting such a secondary air inflow as will improve thecombustion where no Wind or only light wind prevails.

In order to ensure protection against heat radiation due to thecombustion of oil, there is provided a protecting system 3 constitutedby a tube 34 having a polygonal cross section carrying nozzles 35distributed along its periphery and receiving water under pressurethrough a conduit 36. Water (for example sea water) is sprayed throughthe nozzles 35 at a high rate of flow so as to build a screen extending(as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) quite close to the hot source, therebyforming a large cone of shadow which protects the surroundinginstallations and the staff.

It will be seen that the device as described permits the oil from a wellto be completely burnt away in an adjustable manner in terms of the rateof flow of the oil, pressure conditions, etc. even if the oil ispolluted by solid particles, the device permitting eventually aselfregulation to be obtained proportionately to the pressure or rate offlow.

Modifications of the constructional form as above described areconceivable in the field of technical equivalencies without departingfrom the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for burning away waste crude oil produced when investigatingor testing oil or petroleum wells, comprising a burner having an inletand forming a spraying assembly adapted to receive the oil from the welland to convert the same into a jet of sprayed oil, means for connectingthe inlet of said burner to an oil well head for conveying waste crudeoil from said well to said burner, air intake means combined with saidburner for intermixing the oil and air so as to improve the combustionof oil, a combustion furnace having a longitudinal axis, said burnerbeing arranged along the longitudinal axis of said furnace so as todirect the jet of sprayed oil coaxially thereof, the end of the furnaceopposite the burner being completely open, igniting means within saidfurnace for ensuring ignition of the sprayed oil to be burnt away, andannular water-spraying means surrounding said furnace so as to directwater outwardly away from said furnace to produce a water shield forproviding a protection against heat radiation from the burning oil.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said annular water-sprayingmeans comprise a tube having an annular shape and surrounding saidfurnace, and nozzles on said tube, said nozzles extending radially withrespect to the longitudinal axis of the furnace.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein said annular Water-sprayingmeans comprise a tube having an annular shape and surrounding saidfurnace, and nozzles on said tube, said nozzles extending at an angleoutwardly with respect to the longitudinal axis of the furnace.

4. A device for burning away waste crude oil produced when investigatingor testing oil or petroleum wells, comprising a burner having a bodyportion having a longitudinal axis, said body portion having a chambertherein along the longitudinal axis thereof, means for connecting saidburner to an oil well head for conveying waste crude oil from said wellhead to said burner, said body portion having tangential channelstherein connected to said connecting means, said tangential channelsopening into said chamber so as to impart a rotary motion to the oilwithin the chamber, said body portion having an outlet port on thelongitudinal axis thereof communicating with said chamber, a valvemember ahead of said outlet port for adjustably opening the same, anatomization nozzle on the longitudinal axis of the body portion, saidoutlet port opening into said nozzle, tangential air intake meansopening into said nozzle for intermixing air with the oil, a combustionfurnace having a longitudinal axis, said burner being arranged along thelongitudinal axis of said furnace so as to direct a jet of sprayedoil-air mixture coaxially thereof, the end of the furnace opposite theburner being completely open, igniting means within said furnace, andannular water-spraying means surrounding said furnace so as to directwater outwardly away from said furnace to produce a Water shield forproviding a protection against heat radiation from the burning oil.

5. A device according to claim 4, comprising a manual control memberconnected to said valve member.

6. A device for burning away waste crude oil produced when investigatingor testing oil or petroleum wells, comprising a burner having an inletand forming a spraying assembly adapted to receive oil from the well andto convert the same into a jet of sprayed oil, means for connecting theinlet of said burner to an oil well head for conveying Waste crude oilfrom said well to said burner, primary air intake means combined withsaid burner for intermixing oil and air so as to improve the combustionof oil, a combustion furnace having a longitudinal axis, said burnerbeing arranged along the longitudinal axis of said furnace so as todirect the jet of sprayed oil coaxially thereof, the end of the furnaceopposite the burner being completely open, said furnace defining anannular space with said burner for the admission of secondary air,igniting means within said furnace for ensuring ignition of the sprayedoil-air mixture to be burnt away, and annular water-spraying meanssurrounding said furnace so as to direct water outwardly away from saidfurnace to produce a water shield for providing a protection againstheat radiation from the burning oil.

7. A device according to claim 6, wherein a diaphragm is mounted in saidannular space between said burner and said furnace.

8. A device according to claim 6, wherein flaps constituting a diaphragmare mounted in said space between said burner and said furnace, andaxles for pivotally supporting said flaps so as to permit variation oftheir angular position for adjusting the secondary air inflow rate.

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